Convertible bulkhead for refrigerator cars



July 6, 1943.

J. 5. LUNDVALL 2,323,665 CONVERTIBLE BULKHEAD FQR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Aug. 20, 1%]. 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1943- J. s. LUNDVALL 2,323,665 CONVERTIBLE BULKHEAD FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Aug. 20, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 6, 1943. J. 5. LUNDVALL 2,323,665 CONVERTIBLE BULKHEAD FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Aug. 20, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet s July 6, 1943. 'J. s. LUNDVALL 2,323,665

CONVERTIBLE BULKHEAD FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Aug. 20, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 J. S. LUNDVALL July 6, 1943.

CONVERTIBLE BULKHEAD FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Aug. 20, 1941 5 SheetsSheet 5 Patented July 6, 1943 CONVERTIBLE BULKHEAD FOR REFRIGER- ATOR CARS John S. Lundvall, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Union Asbestos & Rubber Company,

corporation of Illinois Application August 20, 1941, Serial No. 407,524

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a convertible bulkhead for refrigerator cars and has for its object to provide an improved means of anchoring the bulkhead in its extended or ice bunker forming position.

The invention relates more specifically to the type of convertible bulkhead disclosed in my Patent No. 2,238,700, of April 15, 1941, wherein the bulkhead is movable from its ice bunker forming position to a stored position adjacent the end Wall of the car. Many commodities hauled in refrigerator cars do not require ice bunker refrigeration and the placing of the bulkhead, in such cases, in a stored position adjacent the end wall of the car makes available for lading the space taken up otherwise by the ice bunkers (these ice bunkers being permanently built in a large numher of refrigerator cars).

This invention relates specifically to improvements in the convertible bulkhead disclosed in my Patent No. 2,238,700 wherein a pilfer-proof hatch closure is used to prevent pilfering through the hatchway and to allow an exchange of air between the exterior and interior of the car, through the closure, the latter feature being important when hauling commodities requiring ventilation.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for anchoring the upper portion of a movable bulkhead in its extended position, this anchoring means being adaptable for use on any bulkhead which is movable from ice bunker forming position to a stored position adjacent the end wall of the car in the manner disclosed in my beforementioned patent, regardless of the means employed for anchoring the lower portion of said bulkhead.

A further object is to provide improved means for anchoring the upper portion of a movable bulkhead in extended position, said means being movable to an out-of-the-way position when the bulkhead is to be moved to its stored position.

A further object is to provide anchoring means for the upper portion of a movable bulkhead wherein said means will extend perpendicularly to the plane of the bulkhead and the forces applied to the bulkhead in service will be transmitted to the anchoring means longitudinally thereof.

A further object is to provide anchoring means for the upper portion of a movable bulkhead which may be retractible into a recessed portion of the car ceiling when not in use.

A further object is the provision of anchoring means for the lower portion of a movable bulk- Chicago, 111., a

head comprising a frame of skeletal construction which will offer a minimum of interference with the loading of the bunker with ice, particularly in an ice bunker which is adapted to be loaded with ice from a point flush with the upper plane of the floor racks to a point adjacent the ceiling (a maximum ice capacity bunker).

A further object to is to provide means whereby the upper anchoring means may be automatically raised from operative position by the pilfer-proof hatch closure as the latter is moved to hatch closing position and held in retracted position by said hatch closure after it is locked in hatch closing position.

A further object is to provide means whereby, when the bulkhead is moved to bunker forming position, the pilfer-proof hatch closure may be swung downwardly, automatically releasing the upper anchoring means and permitting the latter to fall into bulkhead anchoring position.

A further object is to provide means for holding the movable bulkhead in stored position and insure against the bulkhead accidentally becoming disengaged from its secured stored position.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one end of a refrigerator car with the convertible bulkhead in extended, bunker forming, position, ready to receive its load of ice.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same end of a refrigerator car, with the bulkhead secured in retracted, stored position and the pilfer-proof hatch closure in position to bar entrance of a person into the car through the hatchway.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of a portion of the same end of the car taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, with the bulkhead in secured bunker forming position and the pilfer-proof closure in lowered position to form an air space between the ice and a portion of the side wall of the car.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of a portion of the same end of the car taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, with the bulkhead in stored position, a portion of the bulkhead being shown broken away to show the latch means for holding the lower bulkhead anchoring frame in secured, stored position adjacent the end wall of the car.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the same end of the car taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1, showing the lower bulkhead anchoring frame securing the bulkhead in extended position and showing a fragmentary view of the ice grates in the lower portion of the ice bunker.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral l0 indicates the end wall of a refrigerator car, which may be of conventional insulated construction. The car roof l2, side wall I4 and hatchway l6 may also be of conventional construction. The car floor i8 may be of conventional insulated construction and may be provided with slatted or other perforate floor racks intermediate the extended bulkheads, there being usually one ice bunker in each end of the car. The floor rack 26 is adapted to support the lading in overlying spaced relationship with car floor l8 whereby the chilled air from the ice bunker may circulate throughout the floor area through air space 22.

The description this far has been of the conventional refrigerator car construction. The essential features of the invention are found in the respective improvements hereinafter described. More particularly, these improvemnts comprise the bulkhead anchoring members A shown in bulkhead securing position in Figs. 1 and 3 and in retracted position in Fig. 2; the bulkhead anchoring frame member B shown in bulkhead securing position in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 and in stored position in Figs. 2 and 4; and the pilfer-proof closure C which may be similar in construction to the like part in my Patent No. 2,238,700 and which, in the present invention, cooperates with anchoring members A.

The member A may be mounted upon the ceiling and roof structure by means of an inverted U-shaped bracket 30 which may be affixed to said structure as by bolts 32. Member A may be pivotally secured to bracket 38 by means of bolt 34 extending through a hole in one end of member A and through aligned holes in the spaced apart flanges of bracket 30, preferably in a manner whereby member A will be normally urged to swing downwardly by means of g a y- The pivoted end of member A may be provided with suitable stop means 25 adapted to limit the downward swinging movement of the member and I also contemplate the possible use of spring means to normally urge the member in a downward dix rection.

I prefer to depend upon gravity as a means of normally urging the free end of member A in a downward direction in the interest of fewer parts. The bracket 3!! may be mounted upon the car structure within a recessed portion 36 thereof whereby the greater part of member A may be above the ceiling 38, in both operative and inoperative positions, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, of the drawings. The free end of member A may be provided with downwardly extending lateral extensions 40 and 42 adapted to abut the outer and inner vertical walls, respectively, of the bulkhead G4. The free end of member A may be provided, adjacent lateral extension 42, with a projecting lug adapted to be engaged and raised upwardly by the closure C as the latter is swung up to hatchway barring Position. The closure C may be provided with latch means 48 adapted to secure said closure in operative raised position and it will be seen that, when in the latter position, the members A will be held in retracted position.

The frame member B may comprise spaced apart parallel metallic angles 52 and 54 extending transversely of the car and spaced apart metallic channels 56 disposed perpendicularly with respect to and being rigidly affixed to members 52 and 54 to form a substantially rectangular frame of skeletal construction. I prefer to fabricate members 52, 54 and 56 by welding but they may be secured together in any suitable way and they may each be made of other than angles and channels without departing from the scope of my invention. Members 56 are adapted to act as thrust and restraining members to secur the bulkhead 44 in predetermined extended position and to resist forces applied to the bulkhead, as by the shifting of the lading against one side or the shifting of ice against the other side of the bulkhead, such forces being common and resulting from shocks received by the car in switching service, sudden and abrupt stopping of the car, etc.

The wall of bulkhead 44, adjacent the ice bunker side thereof, may be provided with elongated, indented, vertically extending channels 58 adapted to receive the free ends of the frame members when the latter are in bulkhead anchoring position and these channels 58 may be provided with transversely extending bars 68 adapted to limit the downward swinging movement of frame B and to provide interlocking means between the extended bulkhead and frame B. The free end portions of members 55 may be provided with transverse slots 62 adapted to fit over and substantially embrace the bars 60. The bars may be supported in part by a metallic angle 55 extending transversely of the bulkhead, angle 64 also serving as a rigidifying member for the bulkhead and as a means of tying the sections 66 of the bulkhead 44 together.

Bulkhead 44 may be provided with an upper transversely extending 'rigidifying member 68 adapted to tie the bulkhead sections together and to abut an edge portion of the closure C when the bulkhead is in extended position thereby acting as a backing member to prevent the bulkhead from being forced toward the end wall of the car due to thrust forces applied to the bulkhead from the lading compartment side. The end wall of the car may be provided with a plurality of vertically extending metallic channels 76 adapted as mounting members for the frame member hinge pins ?2, latch mechanism 74 for locking the frame member B in stored position, and the retaining mechanism 85 and 88 for locking the bulkhead in stored position. Channels ill may also serve as spacing means between the stored bulkhead and the end of the car whereby to provide an air space between the end of the car and the stored bulkhead.

Latch means may be provided for holding the frame member B in stored position adjacent the end wall of the car and may comprise a mounting bracket 14, afilxed to the channels 70, and a pivoted latch 16 secured to the bracket 74 adapted to interlock with the frame member B. The latch 16 may be mounted upon bracket 14 by means of a bolt 18 and is adapted to swing loosely upon bolt 18 and assume a normally depending position from said bolt and being adapted to be swung upwardly to a position where it will clear the frame B as the latter is moved to stored position. The frame B may be provided with short metallic angles 82 aflixed to member 52 coincident with the locations of the latches 76 transversely of the car. Angles 82 may be provided with slots 80 adapted to receive the latches 16 when the latter are in position to hold the frame B in stored position and it will be seen that the angle 82 and adjacent member 52 will form a box-like section adapted to strengthen the frame B at their locking positions.

The bulkhead 44 may be movable longitudinally of the car upon a track 90 and may be provided with rollers 92 adapted to travel upon the track 90. Rollers 94 may be afiixed to the lower portion of the bulkhead 44 to aid in moving the bulkhead and to support same in part. The method of moving the bulkhead and the means therefor form no part of this invention as they are described in my beforementioned patent. Detents 84 may be pivotally mounted upon the bulkhead 44 and detent members 86 may be affixed to a part of the end wall construction adapted to hold the bulkhead in stored position. A spring actuated member 88 may be aflixed to a part of the end wall construction adapted to hold the detent 84 and detent member 86 in locked engagement until the detent 84 is intentionally disengaged by forcing same out of engagement with detent member 86 against the force of the spring actuated means.

The lateral extension 40, of member A, may be of a greater length than the length of lateral extension 42 in order that extension 40 may at all times be in position to engage and limit the movement of the bulkhead in a direction away from the end of the car. When the bulkhead is moved from stored position to bunker forming position it will engage lateral extensions 40 of the several members A simultaneously whereby said several members A will drop into bulkhead engaging and securing position at the same time, thereby eliminating the necessity for manually lining up one or more of the members A with the rest of the members A I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker in one end, a transverse bulkhead separating said bunker from the remainder of the car and being movable to a stored position adjacent the end wall of the car, a hatchway above said bunker, a pilfer-proof closure hingely secured to the car and adapted to be swung to a horizontal position across the hatchway opening and to a vertical depending inoperative position adjacent the side wall of the car, an arm pivotally secured to the car above said bulkhead and having a free end portion adapted to swing into interlocking engagement with said bulkhead, said free end portion being provided with a lug adapted to project into the swinging plane of said closure whereby said closure will engage said lug and lift said arm out of engagement with said bulkhead when said closure is swung to operative horizontal position.

2. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker in an end thereof and an adjacent lading compartment separated by a bulkhead movable to a stored position adjacent the end wall of the car, an elongated arm pivotally mounted adjacent one of its ends to the ceiling of the lad ing compartment forwardly of the bulkhead and provided adjacent its other end with a depending lateral projection adapted to engage the upper portion of and anchor the bulkhead against movement longitudinally of the car in one direction, said arm and said projection being selectively swingable into and out of bulkhead anchoring position, said arm being disposed perpendicularly with respect to the plane --of the bulkhead whereby the horizontal forces received by the bulkhead will be transmitted to said arm lengthwise thereof putting the arm in tension or compression according to the direction of said forces.

3. In a refrigerator car having an ice bunker in an end thereof and an adjacent lading compartment separated by a transverse bulkhead movable to a stored position adjacent the end wall of the car; a mounting affixed to the ceiling of said lading compartment forward of said bulkhead; an elongated arm pivotally secured adjacent one end thereof to said mounting and extending forwardly toward the bulkhead and provided with adepending yoke portion at its other end adapted to substantially embrace the upper portion of said bulkhead whereby to limit the movement of said bulkhead longitudinally of the car; said arm being selectively swingable into and out of bulkhead holding position and being provided adjacent its pivoted end with a lug adapted to abut a portion of said mounting whereby to limit the movement of said arm in a direction toward said upper portion of said bulkhead.

JOHN S. LUNDVALL. 

